HC's respite for Soren

The Delhi HC has gave relief to JMM chief Sibu Soren asking MTNL to restore his telephone connection after the MP fulfilled the pre-condition of clearing half the amount of over Rs 10 lakh arrears.

The Delhi High Court on Monday gave relief to JMM chief Sibu Soren asking MTNL to restore his telephone connection after the MP fulfilled the pre-condition of clearing half the amount of over Rs 10 lakh arrears.

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Justice Manmohan Sarin asked the telecom department to provide telephone reconnection within two weeks and disposed off the petition filed by Soren seeking to restore the connection at his residence in New Delhi, which was disconnected on the court's order after he had failed to clear dues.

The order to this effect followed on deposit of a cheque of Rs five lakh to the MTNL before the court on behalf of MP by his counsel Barun Kumar Sinha.

The court also directed Soren to pay the remaining amount in four instalments within six months.

On April 6, the court had declined his plea and had asked him to bring a draft or cheque of 50 per cent of the total arrears.

MTNL also submitted before the court the copies of detailed bills.

Earlier, acting on a PIL, a bench comprising Chief Justice BC Patel and Justice BD Ahmed had asked the MTNL and NDMC to take appropriate steps including disconnection of phone and electricity to recover crore of rupees due from over 650 sitting and former MPs.

The order had come during hearing of a PIL filed by Krishak Bharat in 1998 seeking direction to the state agencies to recover their dues from the defaulting lawmakers.